Perspectives

LAST YEAR, numerous women took to social media to narrate their experiences of sexual harassment in Hollywood and to call out those who have harassed them. The Weinstein effect eventually reached the local scene; some notable figures, including prominent artists and indie band members, were proven to be sexual predators. …

“Bakla ba ‘yun? Paano ba siya gumalaw?” my high school friend asked as he talks about our Christian Living Education teacher. I could not help but squint my eyes at him for a moment, initially showing judgement. I, however, began to ask myself who or what exposed him to this …

OCTOBER OF the previous year, a photo of 90-year-old Apo Whang-Od Oggay sleeping at a press conference in the recent Manila FAME trade show circulated online. Many netizens were outraged and expressed their concern towards the Kalinga tattoo artist. The Center for International Trade Expositions and Mission (CITEM) invited Whang-Od …

I HAVE been used to the sight of a small tube accompanied by the purchase of a Gulp beverage at 7-Eleven. Expected to be given one, I guiltlessly asked for a straw. To my surprise, the convenience store no longer offered that “convenient” option. Although some establishments still offer plastic …

MORE FILIPINOS are becoming uneasy over the current administration’s “war against illegal drugs.” In a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations from June 23 to 26, 41 percent of the 1,200 respondents said they were “very worried” that they or someone they know would be a victim of summary …

IN OUR democracy, the privilege of expressing our concerns has always been on a green light. It is never impeded until now. The current administration, as we see vividly, has expressed its abhorrence over the nationwide abuse of drugs, which has drawn flak from the dichotomy of political entities on …

DISSATISFACTION WITH a candidate’s platforms is just one of the factors that would make a voter consider other options in a ballot. But what if the other candidates still seem unfit for the position they are running for in the student council? The voters would rather opt to abstain or …

IT HAS been a year since the Department of Health officially launched a national hotline that will provide help to people with mental health concerns. The project is called HOPELINE, a 24/7 crisis support hotline for depression and suicide prevention. People behind the phone are trained by professional psychiatrists and …

THE TRAIN stops at my station and I move along with the crowd that walked like zombies. But I forgive them; it was a long day after all. The streets around Tayuman station is always busy even at night. Vendors who sell goods are littering the streets, and stores are …

I have a history of bad decisions. In a little town where most people tend to pursue teaching or tourism in college, I stood out when I wrote that I wanted to become a journalist in our class yearbook. I was dead serious. I had to get out of Lupao—where …